Windows Won’t Boot? Here’s How to Fix It

PC Turns On, but Windows Won’t Load?

You press the power button, your PC starts, but instead of the Windows login screen, you’re met with an endless loading screen, a blue error message, or even a "No Bootable Device" error.

Before you assume Windows is completely broken, let’s go through the most common reasons Windows won’t boot—and how to fix them.

Step 1: Check If Your PC Recognizes the Boot Drive

Sometimes, Windows won’t load because your PC isn’t detecting your SSD or HDD properly.

💡 How to Check:

  1. Restart your PC and enter the BIOS (Del or F2 at startup).
  2. Look for a Boot Order or Boot Priority setting.
  3. Ensure your SSD or HDD is listed as the first boot device.

🚨 If your drive isn’t detected:
✔ Check power & data cables (if using a SATA SSD/HDD).
✔ Try another SATA or M.2 slot (for internal SSDs).
✔ If using an NVMe SSD, check BIOS settings (some older boards need updates for NVMe support).

Step 2: Run Windows Automatic Repair

If your drive is detected but Windows still won’t boot, the problem might be corrupt system files or a failed update.

💡 How to Run Windows Repair:

  1. Turn off your PC and power it back on.
  2. When the Windows logo appears, force shutdown by holding the power button.
  3. Repeat this 3 times—on the 4th restart, Windows will enter Automatic Repair Mode.
  4. Select "Advanced Options" > "Startup Repair".

🛠 Fix: If Startup Repair works, your system should boot normally. If not, move to the next step.

Step 3: Use Safe Mode to Fix Boot Issues

Sometimes, a bad driver or update prevents Windows from starting properly. Booting into Safe Mode can help diagnose the issue.

💡 How to Boot into Safe Mode:

  1. Enter Automatic Repair Mode (use the steps above).
  2. Go to Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart.
  3. Select Option 4: Enable Safe Mode.

🚨 If Safe Mode works:
✔ Uninstall recent updates (Settings > Update & Security > View Update History).
✔ Roll back drivers (Device Manager > Right-click device > Properties > Roll Back Driver).

Step 4: Check for Corrupt System Files

If Windows still won’t boot, system files may be damaged or missing. You can repair them using Command Prompt.

💡 How to Repair Windows Files:

  1. Boot into Advanced Startup Options (Automatic Repair Mode > Advanced Options > Command Prompt).
  2. Type the following command and press Enter:
    sfc /scannow
  3. Wait for Windows to scan and repair files.

🛠 Fix: If corrupt files were found and fixed, restart your PC to see if Windows boots normally.

Step 5: Rebuild the Boot Configuration Data (BCD)

If Windows is installed but your boot records are corrupt, you’ll need to rebuild them.

💡 How to Fix Boot Records:

  1. Open Command Prompt from Advanced Options.
  2. Run these commands one by one:
    bootrec /fixmbr
    bootrec /fixboot
    bootrec /scanos
    bootrec /rebuildbcd
  3. Restart your PC and check if Windows boots.

🚨 If you get an "Access Denied" error:

  • Run bootsect /nt60 sys and then try again.

Step 6: When to Consider a Fresh Windows Installation

If nothing else works, reinstalling Windows might be the best option.

💾 How to Reinstall Windows Without Losing Data:

  1. Create a Windows 10/11 bootable USB (using Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool).
  2. Boot from the USB (F12 or Esc to select boot device).
  3. Choose "Repair Your Computer" > "Reset This PC".

🚨 When You MUST Reinstall from Scratch:
✔ If your Windows installation is completely corrupt.
✔ If your drive is failing (consider replacing it first).
✔ If you’ve tried everything else with no success.

Need Help? I Can Get Your PC Running Again!

If you’re stuck in a boot loop, Windows won’t start, or you’re unsure how to proceed, I offer expert diagnostics and full system recovery services to get your PC working again.

📩 Contact me today for a professional repair!

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